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Imperial Guard Wargear
The Imperial Guard utilise a massive varity of weapons and equipment, created in the massive foundries of manufactorum worlds or the cathedral-factories of the Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Worlds and supplied by the bueratic organistation known as the Departmento Munitorum. Although much of the equipment and weaponry can vary depending on the world on which it was produced, it's basic functionality remains the same. Ranged Weaponry Las Weapons Lasgun: The standard issue weapon for the Imperial Guard across the board, and that which all subsequent Las-Weaponry is based off of. It is relatively weak compared to the other basic infantry weapons , such as the bolter and the pulse rifle. It is still powerful when deployed en masse, and they are devestating to lightly armored infantry. Hundreds of variations on the basic design exist, such as the sturdy and reliable MK36 used by the Cadian regiments, to the ornate and hand-crafted weaponry of the Vostroyan Firstborn and the Acatran MKIV, valued by drop troops for it's compactness and utility at short range. Laspistol: The pistol version of the lasgun, it has a shorter range and is thus usually favored by officers and command advisors who are not usually in the thick of things as much as the common soldiery. Lascannon: One of the most powerful anti-tank weapons utilized by the Imperial Guard, the Lascannon is always either vehicle mounted, as is in the case of the hull mounted Lascannon on the Leman Russ battle tank, or lugged around the battlefield by a two man fireteam. It is relatively stable compared to some of the more exotic anti-tank methods, such as plasma and meltaguns. Hellgun: A more powerful version of the Lasgun. Also known as a "hot-shot" lasgun, the hellgun is powered by an external energy pack to provide increased armour peircing power, making this weaponconsiderably more expensive to produce and, as such, it is mainly used by Stormtroopers to provide a little extra punch to their already considerable firepower. Hellpistol: A smaller, hand-held version of the Hellgun. Mainly used by Stormtrooper sergeants and, rarely, Inquisitors. Solid-Shot Weapons Autogun: A basic slugthrower rifle, the autogun was the standard-issue rifle of the Guard until the 32nd Millenium. It is still favored by some regiments, and is heavily used by Planetary Defense Forces and backwater regiments with less access to Las technology. It is also a favorite of underhive gangers. Autopistol: A basic slugthrower pistol, this was phased out of standard Imperial service around the same time as the autogun, but is still occasionally used as a sidearm by vehicle crews and Titan operators. Some regiments still issue autopistols to troopers as sidearms and their use is detailed in the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. Autocannon: A large bore slugthrower cannon, this light anti-armor weapon can be mounted on a vehicle or, more commonly in the case of the Imperial Guard, manned by a two-man crew. The Autocannon fires multiple rounds of solid ammunition, designed to mow down groups of infantry and take out light vehicles. Shotgun: An uncommon sight in the Guard, but nonetheless a weapon that is still utilized by the more veteran soldiers of a regiment as assault weapons. Shotguns are often used by Imperial Navy personnel to fight within the confines of spaceship corridors, without damaging the hull. Heavy Stubber: An archaic piece of equipment, the heavy stubber was once, long, long ago, known as a machine gun. It is still used with a pintle mount on many Imperial Guard vehicles, due to the increased range it has over the more modern storm-bolter. Many Planetary Defense Forces use it instead of heavy bolters because of the more common availability, and the Death Korps of Kreig commonly uses it in weapon emplacements. Plasma Weapons Plasmagun: An extremely unstable weapon that is just as likely to blow up in the operator's face as it is to unleash a lethal beam of white-hot energy. It is still used by the Guard against extremely heavy armor, bunkers, and stationary gun emplacements, as they have no shortage of men. Plasma Pistol: A more compact version of the plasmagun, it is just as unstable as its larger brother, but puts the power of a tank in the palm of your hand. Melta Weapons Meltagun: A slightly more stable anti-tank weapon. Instead of utilizing plasma to kill a target, melta weapons use a two part injection system that forces a mixture of pyrum-petrol gas into a sub molecular state, creating an extremly volatile mixture that will literally vaporise pretty much anything, reducing them to nothing but molten slag. It is considered a mark of courage to bear such weapon in the Imperial Guard, as meltagun toting soldiers are often expected to attack heavily armored targets, destroying them in a matter of seconds. Flamer Weapons Flamer: A large weapon the fires liquid promethium at a target in such a way that the promethium ignites upon contact with the air, allowing the nozzle to be swept back and forth in a slow, deliberate motion. Devestating against lightly armored and closely packed troops. Heavy Flamer: A more powerful version of the standard flamer, most commonly mounted on vehicles. The Death Korps of Kreig however, uses this as a man-portable heavy weapon operated by a two man team. Bolt Weapons Boltgun or Bolter: Normally only seen in the hands of the Space Marines, it is possible for an officer or a veteran to get his hands on a weapon such as this. Fires a mass-reactive, explosive bolt with a depleted deuterium core that detonates on contact with the target as its standard issue ammunition. Boltpistol: Favored by officers because of the added punch offered by such a weapon, the boltpistol has a shorter range than a bolter, but operates in much the same way. Heavy Bolter: A fast-firing, anti-infantry weapon, the heavy bolter gives the Guard the ability to take down more heavily armored foes without wasting autocannon or lascannon rounds. It truly shines when directed at large masses of infantry, such as an Ork Waaagh! It is also commonly mounted on vehicles to provide some anti-infantry protection. Storm-Bolter: A much more uncommon sight in the Guard than the heavy bolter, this is normally only seen in its pintle-mounted variant, mounted on the top of a tank to give the commander something to do in battle. However, it is also possible for veterans to get their hands on one of these, but that is a somewhat rare occurance. Missle Weapons Missile Launcher: Missle Launchers are simple devices normally used in teams of two guardsmen, although modified sentinel-mounted versions do exist. It can be armed with either frag or krak missiles. Frag missiles allow for the explosion to spread similar to the effect of a frag grenade, making them useful for taking out heavily armored infantry, whereas krak missiles concentrate the explosion in a small, contained area, making them extremely effective tank killers. Sniper Weapons Sniper Rifle: Imperial Guard regiments use many different kinds of sniper rifle, ranging from lasguns modified with longer barrels and over-powered energy cells to needle-rifles, which fire small darts containing deadly neuro-toxins. Sniper Rifles are issued to a regiment's best marksmen, or used by the abhuman Ratlings. Most sniper rifles are equipped with telescopic sights and mufflers to allow the user to fire from long range without his position being revealed by the crackle of gun fire. Grenades and Explosives Grenade Launcher: The Grenade Launcher is a simple but versatile device which fires grenades into enemy formations at short range. Grenade Launchers can be loaded with both frag and krak grenades. Frag Grenades: Small metal spheres designed to explode when a simple triggering mechanism is activated, throwing white hot shrapnel everywhere. They are commonly used to root enemy troops out of bunkers, or as a way to soften up enemies when charging. The frag grenade is standard issue equipment for all Imperial Guard infantry squads, as well as Stormtroopers and Veteran squads. Krak Grenades: A more powerful version of the frag grenade, these small bombs allow a soldier to take on a lightly armored vehicle or to destroy bunkers. They are standard issue equipment for Imperial Guard Stormtroopers and Veterans. Meltabombs: Large grenades based on the melta weaponry concept, these are designed for serious tank and weapon emplacement killing, much in the same way as Demolition Charges. Demolition Charges: Huge packs of explosives wired together, they function similarly to Satchel Charges in allowing soldiers to kill just about anything. The operator must be extremely close to use them though, as they must still be thrown, so there is considerable risk involved with using them. Snare Mines are normally carried by forward scouts and veteran troopers and consist of a small explosive charge and a range finder. Snare Mines are normally planted in tactical posistions and used to ambush or disrupt enemy advances. Melee Weapons Chainsword or Chainblade The standard close combat weapon of the Imperial Guard, the chainsword, despite being a simple metal construct on a battlefield full of powered gauntlets, cursed broadswords, flaming axes, and plague ridden knives, is nothing to sneeze at. Its teeth are quite capable of slicing through even power armor and it is lightweight enough to allow its bearer to fight with another weapon in his opposing hand. Eviscerator: A large, two handed version of the chainsword, the eviscerator is used exclusivly by Imperial Priests. Power Weapon: The officers of the Imperial guard use a variety of powered weapons to defend and attack in close combat, be they swords, axes, maces, or even clubs. These energized weapons can slice through almost anything like a hot knife through butter, and sometimes make their wearer stronger. Power Fist: Some officers crave close combat so much, that they entomb their arms in giant metal gauntlets to grant them superhuman powers in hand to hand combat. These gigantic fists allow their bearers to attack even vehicles and know they have an extremely good chance of winning. Infantry and other Manportable Equipment As well as their weaponry, Imperial Guardsmen are issued with a variety of other equipment upon recruitment. Although the equipment issued varies among the regiments, the following list contains the most common equipment. Armour Flak Armor: The basic armor worn by all soldiers of the Imperial Guard. It provides modest protection, but pretty much all other armor is highly preferable. Flak Armour is usually made from synthetic fibres or light-weight alloys and leaves the Guardsman free to move. Carapace Armor: Consists of a series of rigid plates, molded from either armorplas or ceramite. It provides a better protection than flak armor, and is used extensively by Stormtroopers. Officers also seem to prefer this due to the superior protection it provides. Some regiments of the Guard are outfitted exclusively in this, due to their proximity to a Forgeworld, or the fact that they were raised from a more affluent world that can afford such protection. Specialised Equipment Surveyor or Auspex: A small, hand-held scanner device. Used by officers and vox-operators to help direct the course of a battle. Also used by stormtroopers when they are hunting a target. Voxcaster or Vox-box: One of the most important pieces of equipment available to the Imperial Guard, the vox-box allows the commanding officer of a force to keep in touch with his subordinates. Almost all Imperial Guard units are capable of taking a vox-box in one way or another. Voxcasters are also commonly mounted on tanks to allow the commanding officer to take advantage of the armored vehicle's increased power capacity and use the improved communications to call in reinforcements. Camo Cloaks: Scouts and snipers will often wear camo cloaks to conceal themselves from the enemy. Constructed from cameoline, camo cloaks blend with the surrounding environment, making the wearer extremely hard to view from long range. Medi-Pack:'' More advanced versions of the standard medi-kit carried by all troopers, medi-packs contain the necessary supplies to cure or heal most types of battlefield wounds and are often carried by specially-trained troopers in command squads. '''Refractor Field: Carried only by extremely high-ranking officers, refractor fields generate a protective energy barrier around the wearer, granting them protection from almost all attacks. Standardised Equipment The following equipment is issued to all Imperial Guardsmen upon recruitment. Combat knife or Bayonet: Thousands of variations of the combat knife exist, ranging from short, serrated blades to the straight blades carried by the Tanith First and Only and the very large blades used by the Catachan Jungle Fighters. They are commonly used as hand-to-hand weapons or bayonets. Guard-Issue Medical Supplies: All guardsmen are issued with very basic medical supplies, including bandages, swabs and basic med-kits containg oils and salves. The Medical Supplies are used to heal small wounds obtained from shrapnel, dangerous terrrain features and bruises sustained during hectic battlefield manouveres. 9-70 Entrenching Tool: Basically an over-glorified spade, the 9-70 is used to create impromptu emplacements and barricades during battles. Gas Mask with Mk VIII filter: An emergency device used in case of sudden gas attack, the gas mask consists of a simple face-mask attached to an advanced filter system designed to filter out harmful toxins in the atmosphere and allow the guardsman to breathe without risk of injury. Some regiments, such as the Armageddon Steel Legions, use more advanced respirators in a permanent manner, usually during protracted engagements in areas with unbreathable atmospheres such as the polluted hive-world of Armageddon. Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer: Issued to all Guardsmen, the Uplifting Prmier is issued by the Departmento Munitorum and details the disciplinary precautions of the Guard, the correct procedures to use comman weapons and basic battlefield tactics and survival skills. Some of the information in the Primer is rather outlandish; for example, it recommends guardsmen recite two lengthy prayers to the Emperor before throwing a grenade but after removing the pin. It is not unheard of for Commissars to execute Guardsmen who fail to produce their Primer. Sources *Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook, 4th Edition *Imperial Guard Codex, 4th Edition *Imperial Guard Codex, 5th Edition *Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, Damocles Gulf Edition *Forgeworld Website, Death Korps of Kreig *Games Workshop Website, Red Terror Category:I Category:Imperial_Guard Category:Imperial weapons